Crunchyroll’s 170-episode fantasy anime is back, and season 2 is already No. 1

Right, so you know how most so-called “massive” anime these days barely clear a dozen episodes? Well, move over, because Black Clover is back with a second season, and it's already dominating the streaming charts like it's old-school shonen era again. The first season, which launched way back in 2017, didn’t just clock in at the usual 12 or 24 episodes. No, Black Clover Season 1 went completely off the rails with a whopping 170 episodes. Split into arcs, sure, but still — those were the days, eh?

Black Clover ran to 170 episodes in its original season—making it one of the longest-running anime of the streaming era.

So, if you've been desperate for proper weekly anime to sink your teeth into (and not just another 10-week wonder), you've got your answer. After what felt like an age, Season 2 finally hit Crunchyroll on 3 October 2026 — and straight away, it’s become that show everyone’s talking about again. Just three episodes have landed so far, but that’s been more than enough to send it roaring up the charts. As things stand, Black Clover is the most streamed series on Crunchyroll in the US. For the record, Magical Explorer holds the number two spot, and (brace yourself for this title) Magic Repo Man: Dumped by My Party, I'll Cash In with a Cute Support Fairy to Become the Strongest! is sitting at number three. The light novel adaptations really have hit peak ridiculousness, haven’t they?

Season 2 – Numbers and Hype

People loved Black Clover already: the entirety of Season 1 sits at a very respectable 8.14 on My Anime List. But now, everyone absolutely loves it. Season 2, at the time of writing, is pulling in an 8.81 on MAL. Apparently, time away just made the heart grow fonder. If that’s not enough, the first three episodes are all scoring above 9.0 on IMDb, with episode three notching up a ridiculous 9.6. Yes, anime fans do love handing out 10s when a show comes back – but you can’t argue with the numbers; Black Clover is absolutely smashing it.

• Black Clover Season 2 – Streaming on Crunchyroll since 3 October 2026 (weekly episodes)
• Studio Pierrot is handling the animation (same as Season 1)
• Based on the hit manga by Yuki Takaba – now finished, incidentally
• Season 1 = 170 episodes; Season 2 just three (so far)
• Currently the #1 streaming anime in the US on Crunchyroll

If you’ve never watched Black Clover and like your fantasy heavy on both magic fights and shonen energy: it’s set in a world where magic decides everything. You’ve got twin lads, Yuno (bit of a magical overachiever) and Asta (absolutely no magic at all; the underdog, obviously), both determined to become the next wizard king. All the classic underdog vs. prodigy vibes — which, yes, absolutely still works.

Autumn 2026 – Anime Overload

Black Clover returning was the undisputed big event for this autumn, but it’s not exactly alone. The anime world is bursting this season. Netflix has lined up sequels to The Apothecary Diaries and Blue Box, and the much-hyped Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2. There’s also a brand new sci-fi series called Fool Night. For Crunchyroll, along with Black Clover, there’s Reincarnated as a Sword Season 2 and a load of chatter about Firefly Wedding. Even Disney+, of all places, is releasing new Tokyo Revengers this year.